diff --git a/.buildkite/x-pack/elastic-agent/scripts/steps/dra-publish.sh b/.buildkite/x-pack/elastic-agent/scripts/steps/dra-publish.sh
index 9a9470b6fb0b..7b44254f6f5b 100755
--- a/.buildkite/x-pack/elastic-agent/scripts/steps/dra-publish.sh
+++ b/.buildkite/x-pack/elastic-agent/scripts/steps/dra-publish.sh
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ CI_DRA_ROLE_PATH="kv/ci-shared/release/dra-role"
 
 # force main branch on PR's or it won't execute
 # because the PR branch does not have a project folder in release-manager
-if [[ "${BUILDKITE_PULL_REQUEST:="false"}" != "false" ]]; then
+if [[ "${BUILDKITE_PULL_REQUEST:="false"}" != "false" || "$BUILDKITE_BRANCH" == "xpack_agent_core_publish" ]]; then
     BRANCH=7.17
     DRY_RUN="--dry-run"
     echo "+++ Running in PR or test branch and setting branch 7.17 and --dry-run"